Tuesday, June 16, 2009

A PP'sPs about Weddings

What?

Huh?

Who's doing what?

I'm sure these are but a few of the questions that have been running through some of your minds if you have been keeping up with my facebook status lately.

Yes, I'm getting married! It sounds crazy to me, too! I can't imagine how it might sound to some of you who don't know what's been going on over the last couple of weeks. Let me attempt to explain.

If you've read this blog at all lately, you know that I've been dating Kristen and that it is quite serious. We are deeply in love with each other and confident that our love is a God-given love that is destined to lead us into marriage. But, our original timeline was much different. We had originally planned on getting engaged after October and then getting married sometime next summer after Kristen's school year was over.

What you may not know is that, for the past year or so, Kristen's mom, Lannie, has been fighting cancer; fighting with great strength and courage, I might add. On Friday, June 5th, Lannie went in for surgery to repair an obstructed bowel. What the doctor found was a substantial amount of cancer in her abdomen as well as cancer on her lungs and liver. He was reluctant to give any kind of time frame because of the severity of the surgery itself. He had no idea how she was going to recover from the surgery, much less how the cancer was going to effect her future. Well, given the somber tone in the doctor's voice, we knew that time was not on our side.

After many discussions with many people, Kristen and I decided to accelerate our plans because, as one wise woman said, "Every girl needs her momma at her wedding, and every momma needs to see her daughter walk down the aisle."

I am confident that Lannie will not only be at our wedding, but that she will be happy and healthy as she sees her radiant daughter illuminate the sanctuary on September 5, 2009.

I'm sure that you have other questions that are bouncing around in your heads. Please feel free to pose those questions in the comment section of this post. I don't pretend to have full comprehension of what God is doing in our lives right now...I only know that He is working in our lives. He has facilitated the blossoming of our love in a way that is beyond comprehension. Maybe because He knew well before us the time frame we would be working with. Whatever the reason, I know He has placed this woman in my life for such a time as this. May He be praised!

Frantically planning the perfect wedding,

Josh

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I read your blog with tears in my eyes...I am so happy for you. How wonderful..I will be praying for all,
Martha League-Calhoun

The Hibbard Family said...

I'm so excited for you I can hardly stand it! The Lord laid this very thing on my heart to pray over you almost from the beginning, but I never dreamed He intended to work this quickly! It has been - and will continue to be - such a joy to pray over you and Kristen in these months leading up to your wedding and in the marriage to come. I am so excited to see God working through you!

Oh - and just for encouragement, Doug and I started actively preparing for a mid December wedding in mid September. And, it was the most amazing wedding! Simple, but awesome. When it's covered in prayer, there's not only good outcome, but peace in the process as well. I'm praying that over both of you!

Jaime Downey Roever said...

I just wanted to say Josh, that we don't live by mans timeline we live by Gods. So don't ever worry or wonder what other people are thinking. What matters most is what is between God, you and your soon to be wife Kristen. Who is man to question what God is doing in someone elses life? Certainly not I. Congratulations on your newest endeavor in life. May the Lord continually bless you in all you do.
Your Friend, Jaime Downey Roever

Anonymous said...

Josh, Ruthie told us about your engagement (and the situation with her mom). I am so glad to hear that you have found another wonderful woman who will make you very happy. I pray God's blessings over your new marriage. Like you and other commenters have said...it doesn't matter what WE thing or what OUR time frame is. God has a plan, and we just need to be obedient to His plan.

**Craig and I only knew each other about 4 months from the time we met to the time we said "I do". 11 years later, and, as Brad Paisley says... "I thought I loved you then". As long as you are doing what God tells you is right don't let anyone tell you that it's wrong.

God bless you and your soon-to-be bride! And I will be praying for her mother's health as well.